Louise was born in Indianapolis while her family lived on West 28th Street. She lived through the great depression, the birth of eight children, and the death of most of her siblings and nursed her husband back to health after an accident that almost took his leg. With all that, she volunteered at church, sang in the choir, worked at a church second hand shop and helped more people than we’ll ever know. At her funeral services, we talked to several people who showed up to pay respects because Mom had helped then over the years. She was a loving person who mothered everyone she came in contact with.

The is a condensed version of a story written by Louise E. Pohlman about her life.

In 1933, in Indianapolis, Louise Elizabeth Hansman met Richard (Dick) Pohlman. Louise and Dick both lived in Brightwood. Mom lived at 34th & Station Streets. This was a railroad settlement on the east side of Indianapolis. Their first date was babysitting for relatives. Dick and Louise courted for a year and married on June 28, 1934 at St. Francis DeSales Catholic Church in Brightwood. They lived in an upstairs apartment on 9th Street when their first child Marie Louise (Mary Lou) was born August 12, 1936.

When their second child Elizabeth Jean (Jeanie) Pohlman Hughbanks Fentz was born February 3, 1939, they had just moved to a farm outside of Columbus, Indiana. Dick was a door-to-door collector for L.B. Price.

In 1940 they moved back to Indianapolis and lived at 3164 Station Street. The third child was Harry Augustus (Bud) Pohlman. Born on July 29, 1942. He was named after Dick’s father who died when Dick was 14. In 1943 they moved to 1115 N. Rural Street. The fourth child Carol Ann Pohlman Marshall Fiester Kelly was born in the front bedroom on December 24, 1944.

Dick and Louise both ended up working at Allison’s on 10th Street in Speedway during WW2. Louise had her own toolbox with her name on it. Jeanie still has it. Louise also worked at Indiana Bell on N. Rural Street. She was an operator. She worked at Real Silk, RCA, a Box Factory, Standard grocery and Progress Laundry.

On March 10th, 1951, Kathleen Ellen Pohlman Beckom was born. In 1951 Dick and Louise moved to Pensacola, Florida. Pauline Marie Murphy, the 6th child was born there on November 18, 1952. The following year the 7th child, Richard Ignatious Pohlman was born on November 30th, 1953.

In the summer of 1953 the Pohlman family returned to Indianapolis. Dick and Louise built a home at 7025 Faris Street, Lawrence, Indiana. The last child Patricia Teresa Pohlman was born there on December 13, 1959. After Dick retired in the 70’s they bought a home in El Jobean, Florida and lived there and in North Port, Florida until Louise did not want to go back in the late 80’s.

Louise died at their Indianapolis hoe at 7025 Faris St. On January 24, 2001 at 7:30am. Louise had just been to the Argosy River Boat with her daughter Kathy and hit the biggest pot she had ever hit $200.00 It was a good day.